


Fog in your head (Needles in your flesh)

by ScorpionMauve



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jisung Takes Care Of Jaehyun, Platonic Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27603176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScorpionMauve/pseuds/ScorpionMauve
Summary: Jaehyun’s body was so heavy that it hurt to move even just a finger. However, his mind was so tortured that he didn’t even want to move.His only relief that night came from a boy.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun & Park Jisung
Kudos: 32





	Fog in your head (Needles in your flesh)

**Author's Note:**

> Very much so inspired by Awsaz Episode 4.

The sun had disappeared behind the skyline of buildings a long time ago and yet, Jaehyun still had his eyes open and lost on the window. He had watched the star descend ever since the rain had stopped, some time around the middle of the afternoon. He hadn’t moved ever since then, when he had crashed down on his blanket.

It was late, so late, but he couldn’t fall asleep. Someone had knocked on the door earlier, saying dinner had been made if Jaehyun wanted any of it, but he had refused. He wasn’t even sure who it had been. His head hurt. His body felt so heavy. Why couldn’t he fall asleep ?

Time passed. Another knock came. It was light, quiet. Unfamiliar. Jaehyun grunted in answer.

“Hyung, can I come in ?”

Who was that ? Jaehyun couldn’t recognize the voice over the buzzing in his ears. He wasn’t really sure why he agreed, but he did. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was boredom. Maybe it was desperation. 

He heard the door open and close, recognizing the distinct creak the handle made when it was pushed down on without force. He struggled to tear his eyes away from the window and to the newcomer, but he eventually managed. The person hadn’t moved in the few minutes it took for that to happen.

The only light in the room came from the moon outside, pale glow caressing the boy’s cheekbones. Jaehyun knew that boy. Why did his brain not provide him with the boy’s name ? 

“I heard you weren’t feeling good so I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help. I’ll go if you want me to.”

The boy shifted his weight on his feet, face turned to the side, away from Jaehyun. His fingers gripped one another in a way that made Jaehyun frown. Why was he so nervous ? Who was he ?

“Who said…”

Jaehyun didn’t even manage to finish his sentence, words taking too much energy from him. Even through the layer of fog in his head, he could hear how scratchy and pathetic his voice sounded.

“Mark-hyung.”

Mark. The boy was younger than Mark. A prickle of pain ran through his eyes as the boy pulled his lip between his teeth.

“Sung-ah.”

The boy’s eyes widened as he nodded, waiting for Jaehyun’s next words. He couldn’t speak more though. He was so tired. His arm twitched when he tried to lift it, but he pushed through, groan leaving his lips at the pain of the effort. Jisung walked closer slowly, as to not startle Jaehyun.

“What would you like me to do, hyung ?”

Jaehyun’s dry lips parted. A soft pant left him before he managed to speak again.

“Hold-”

The boy was frozen, legs planted next to Jaehyun’s shoulders.

“You hold me ? Or, or I hold you ?”

Jaehyun’s head jerked in a nod as his arm fell back down, limp on top of his body. Jisung stepped in place as he thought. His brain seemed to handle things so fast. Jaehyun would have been jealous if he had been able to process that emotion right now.

“I’d have to move you a bit, is that okay ? Just blink, or hum, or something, I won’t do it if you don’t gi-”

Jaehyun hummed as loud as he could, dry throat pulling a cough from him.

“Alright, alright, then I just…”

Jisung skittered, hands hesitantly sliding over Jaehyun’s shoulders. The touch was light and nice. Jaehyun closed his eyes as Jisung carefully pulled him higher up on the bed by the armpits. Blanket removed from underneath him making the springs in the mattress grunt, his head was lowered on something soft. His pillow.

Then, the bed dipped as Jisung slowly climbed on it. He crawled between Jaehyun and the wall until their heads were leveled, and gently laid down. 

“Still okay with…”

The boy let the words hang in the air, making no contact with Jaehyun. At the hum that came, quieter than the previous one, Jisung slid his arm over Jaehyun’s, wrapping it around his torso. The boy pulled him back until his chest met Jaehyun’s back. 

When Jisung tentatively hooked his leg over Jaehyun’s knees, he melted against the boy, all of the tension leaving his body. The buzzing in his ears receded. He sighed softly.

“I got you, hyung. You don’t have to worry about anything. I’ll take care of you for as long as you want me to.”

Jisung was warm. It felt nice to be held. Jaehyun’s hand twitched and he reached up a bit to grab Jisung’s. It was a bit easier to move now. The boy tensed up, startled at the unexpected touch, but he relaxed as soon as he processed the feeling. He unfurled his fingers, allowing Jaehyun to slide his own in between.

Jisung had big hands, Jaehyun noted at that moment, bigger than his. Just a boy and yet…

As the fog that had invaded Jaehyun’s head cleared little by little, he thought that Jisung wasn’t really just a boy. He had come so far from where he had started. He had very much been a boy back then, young, shy, naive. Innocent. 

Jisung had grown up well, Jaehyun thought. He’d like to think he had taken a part in it, but that was probably unlikely. A rumble shook his chest.

“Just sleep, hyung. You’ll feel better when you wake up.”

Jisung pulled him closer and Jaehyun let his head roll back on the pillow, resting against the boy’s shoulder. He could hear his breathing now, as well as feel his heartbeat. Strong, steady, continuous, and quiet. Comforting. Stable.

Jisung was stable.

Jaehyun let his mind drift off. He didn’t even want to look out the window anymore. Maybe the moon still shone lightly on the both of them. He didn’t care. Only the warmth, the stability mattered currently. The pain had subsided. It still hung around, teasing him when he moved a bit, but left him alone as long as he stayed immobile.

It was nice.

Jaehyun eventually fell asleep.

Something rustled next to Jaehyun and he tightened his arms around it to quiet it. The movement sent sharp pain through his body, making him whimper and freeze on the spot.

“Are you awake ?”

A soft voice murmured, right in front of Jaehyun, rumbling through him. He considered ignoring it and going back to a drowsy state, but he couldn’t.

“Yeah.”

He answered quietly, arms releasing their tension as gentle fingers played with his bangs.

“Didn’t mean to wake you, sorry. You can get some more sleep.”

Jaehyun opened his eyes a bit, frowning at the intense sun reflected inside the room. The hand in his hair instantly moved to cover them and protect them from the light.

“Thank you, Sung-ah.”

He couldn’t see the younger man’s face due to the hand, but he was pretty sure what expression he was wearing. He let his head roll forward and make contact with the cold fingers. The temperature felt good against his heated skin. The crank of pain overtaking his neck did not.

“What time is it ?”

Jisung didn’t answer, only scooting closer to Jaehyun. His protective hand was replaced by a shoulder, which he buried his head in. The pain didn’t matter.

“Sorry, was just… grabbing my phone.”

Oh.

“It’s a bit after eight. You should sleep for longer. I came around at like two.”

Jaehyun let out a little sigh when Jisung’s hand came to rest against his stiff neck. The cold chased away the prickling sensation.

“Why were you up so late ?”

The boy’s chest moved as he laughed quietly. Jaehyun didn’t know why he was, but the joyful sound relaxed him and he melted even more into the bed.

“Just late night practice. You know how it is.”

He did. Jaehyun would have nodded if he wasn’t sure Jisung absolutely knew he shared the experience. That was how idol life went, after all. No, he didn’t want to think about that, not now. 

“I don’t think I can sleep more-”

The hand playing with the short hair at the base of his skull stopped and he barely retained a whine.

“That’s okay, we can get up.”

Jaehyun grumbled, pulling his face away from the neat little resting spot it had found to look up at Jisung’s flustered face.

“Wasn’t finished, you gremlin. Was gonna say that I still want to stay like this if it’s fine with you.”

In other circumstances, Jaehyun probably wouldn’t have allowed himself to be this vulnerable about the youngest member of the group, but fuck his pride if it meant he could keep the warmth for a while longer. Jisung’s eyes looked wild from here, like a cornered animal. But then, his head jerked up and down.

“Of course.”

It was clear by his inflection that he had started the words ready to proclaim them but then remembered that Jaehyun had just woken up and likely didn’t want someone shouting right up in his ears.

“Lovely. Then scratch my head some more, would you ?”

Jaehyun answered as he pushed his skull back against Jisung’s hand, making the boy snicker softly. As he settled back into the crook of Jisung’s neck, Jaehyun closed his eyes again, blocking out the sunlight. The boy went back to work on Jaehyun’s request, dragging his fingers against his scalp in circular motions.

Jaehyun grunted in approval and Jisung hummed. This was nice. Comfortable. He really should cuddle with people more often, huh. It would make the others happy too. If they didn’t tease him for it, at least.

“Yuta-hyung came ‘round to check on you earlier but he left when he saw me.”

Jisung spoke up after a while. Jaehyun didn’t really have a way to tell time, in his current position. He only hummed in answer.

“Jungwoo didn’t sleep here.”

It was more of a statement than a question, considering his roommate usually went to sleep before he did and he would have seen him. However, Jisung still answered.

“No, didn’t come in at all.”

Jisung was a cutie, Jaehyun decided. Not that he didn’t already know, but this was proof of it once more. He sneaked one of his legs between Jisung’s to take advantage of his coolness. It felt like he was sweating buckets compared to the boy who felt fresh and chilly.

“How come you’re so cold ?”

He asked to satisfy his curiosity, and also to see if he could steal some of the tricks if there were any.

“You’re hoarding the blanket.”

Ah, so that was why he felt air on the hair at the base of his calf, which peeked out on the other side of Jisung. 

“Can’t really move, but you can take it back if you want.”

Jisung hummed in answer but he didn’t do anything about it.

“The warmth will be better for your aches, it’s okay.”

Jaehyun playfully blew on Jisung’s neck, startling him into a jump that also tightened his arm around Jaehyun. The second one snaked between Jaehyun’s waist and the mattress to pull him closer. Gentle, so gentle, and yet it felt like he could keep Jaehyun out of harm’s way. He felt safe.

Jaehyun didn’t ask how Jisung knew he was in pain. It would probably be obvious to whoever would have laid their eyes upon him the past evening as well. Afternoon. It had been a while. He had been in this bed for more than half a day now, inching close to three quarters of one by now. He couldn’t remember when he had gotten in. 

Jaehyun’s stomach grumbled loudly and he tried to quiet it by pressing his arm into it, to no avail.

“Someone’s getting hungry, huh ?”

Jaehyun grunted and flicked Jisung’s hip, pulling a whine from the boy.

“Bully. Then I won’t tell you who said he’d make us both breakfast whenever we go down to the other apartement.”

Jisung huffed, pulling a laugh from Jaehyun. His ribs rattled but the joy was worth it.

“Is it Taeyong-hyung ?”

Jisung shook his head.

“Not telling.”

Jaehyun pursed his lips, blowing on him again as he thought.

“Doyoung-hyung then ?”

Jisung deflated against Jaehyun.

“Yeah, it is.”

Jaehyun should have known. Taeyong would probably be sleeping at this time, having gone to sleep only a few hours ago after coming home from the studio.

“Alright then, let’s go. You’re probably hungry too.”

Jisung turned his head away as a soft rumble shook Jaehyun’s arm. He laughed.

“You’re gonna have to help me though, I can’t move much.”

The boy nodded, slowly slipping his arms away from Jaehyun and scooting down the bed to stand back up. He missed the coolness, but it soon came back when the blanket slowly came off of him. Jisung wrapped his cold hands around the top of Jaehyun’s biceps, carefully supporting him as he sat up.

“You should probably change. And shower. Do you think you can manage to shower ?”

Jaehyun looked down at his legs, putting a small amount of pressure on them. They shook as needle-like prickles spread across his skin.

“That would be a no.”

Jisung’s lips extended in a flat line before he turned around to stand in front of the dresser.

“Well I’m not helping you with that.”

Jaehyun laughed, low and breathy, coming from his chest, as he watched the tip of Jisung’s ears redden. The boy dug around in the drawer before pulling out stuff that he threw on the bed. Jaehyun reached out for them as Jisung came back to his side. 

“Arms up.”

Jaehyun obeyed quietly with a huff, holding the pose as Jisung tugged his shirt off. It was quickly replaced by another one, as well as a zipped sweater. The younger man then shut his eyes tightly for a few moments, wrinkling his face, before opening them again.

“I’m helping you with your sweatpants, but not the underwear.”

Jaehyun chuckled out again as he painfully lifted his hips, liberating the pants as Jisung pulled on the legs.

“Too bad, I was looking forward to it so much.”

Jisung flinged a pair boxer briefs at his face for the comment before pointedly turning his back to him. There was some shuffling behind him as he tried to calm the embarrassed flush sitting high on his cheeks. Once Jaehyun finally told him he could turn around, Jisung waited a bit more.

“You better be telling the truth because I’m not above snitching to Taeyong-hyung, you know ?”

Jisung turned to face a thankfully covered up Jaehyun, who had a wide grin on his face.

“Wouldn’t expect anything less from you. I would even be disappointed if you didn’t.”

After successfully dressing Jaehyun up, Jisung changed his own shirt for one of the man’s at his offer. Then, sliding Jaehyun’s arm over his shoulders, they began hobbling down to the lower dorm. They had foregone shoes, deeming them too much of a hassle, and only went in slippers.

After a nice breakfast prepared by Doyoung, honouring his promise and not wasting a rare opportunity to dote on his younger friends without them teasing him for it, Jisung unfortunately had to leave. Idol life was a busy one.

He stood in the open doorway linking the corridor and the kitchen, quietly observing Jaehyun who sat at the small table there. The older man’s eyes glided up and locked with Jisung’s. They held each other’s gazes for a moment before Jaehyun spoke.

“Thank you for taking care of me. It was nice.”

Jisung gave him the corner of a smile.

“I’m just glad I could help. I hope you’ll feel completely better soon.”

Jaehyun only nodded, which Jisung imitated, before the boy turned and shuffled down to the door. It softly clicked after him. The apartment was left quiet and Jaehyun closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he let his muscles relax.

He slid down a tad in his chair, arms hanging limp on either side of him. His body felt so much like mush that he didn’t even jump when Doyoung suddenly appeared behind him. 

“We raised the boy well.”

Jaehyun snorted.

“You didn’t raise shit.”

A soft mock slap made contact with the back of Jaehyun’s head, barely hard enough to make his hair scrunch up. 

“Looks like you weren’t, though, you rude brat.”

Jaehyun’s head lolled to the side so that he could send a smile at Doyoung over his shoulder.

“I’m not feeling good ?”

He offered as a cheeky excuse. Doyoung huffed but sat in the chair next to him, pulling Jaehyun in a gentle embrace.

“How dare your mind and body make you suffer.”

They basked in a comforting silence shortly.

“I’m so telling the others about this.”

Doyoung groaned in despair.

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter : [@lacyjunnie](https://twitter.com/lacyjunnie)


End file.
